City parents can take part in a "mini-shopping spree" for new playground equipment

Vikki Ortiz HealyTribune reporter

So long, sandboxes. Monkey bars? They can keep hanging around — if they’re the twisty, turny, modern kind.

In the next several months, Chicago residents will be invited to choose from the latest in playground equipment as the city finalizes designs for the refurbishing of 103 playgrounds.

The renovations, announced this week as the latest installment in the Mayor Emanuel’s Chicago Plays! program which aims to rebuild or repair 325 playgrounds over the next four years, will involve detailed input from nearby residents who can peruse photos and renderings of dozens of types of playground equipment available from the city’s designated suppliers, said Rob Rejman, director of planning for the park district.

“It is like a mini-shopping spree for kids and parents right now,” said Rejman. “We’re using what we find to be the most exciting play elements that you find in other cities across the country — we keep up on those trends.”

Here are some of the most popular pieces in playground equipment today:

Non-traditional swings: Kids still love the feel of wind in their hair, but it’s cooler these days when you swing with a friend — or your entire family. Many neighborhoods are choosing group swings, an updated version of the old tire swing, which allows 3 to 5 people to swing at once, Rejman said.

Three-in-one-slides: Remember the old single slides from decades ago, made of metal and accessed by a single ladder tower? Well, children of today sure don’t. Today’s kids are interested in playground towers that offer three different slides off the same structure. And these slides are plastic, according to Rejman.

Net climbers: Spiderkids abound across the city, as little ones delight in the various net-style climbing stations being added to playgrounds. “It’s a more free-form kind of play,” said Rejman. “It’s really imaginative.”

Balancing act: Whether it’s a spinning spindle seat, a curvy balance beam or a bouncy bench, children have been loving playground equipment that allows them to test their balancing skills, he said.

Climbing elements: We may live in the Midwest, but children at parks love to model the mountains by gravitating toward climbing gyms and colorful rock-climbing walls that have been incorporated into many of the city’s renovated parks. “Kids make a bee-line for these,” Rejman said.

The budget for each of the renovated parks is approximately $125,000, with a total program cost of $37,500,000 from the Chicago Park District capital funds.